Check separator



Sept. 8, 1936!- F. G. NlcoLAus CHECK SEPARATOR Filed March 14, 1936 Patented Sept. 8, 1936 PATENT OFFICE CHECK SEPARATOR Frank G. Nicolaus, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 14, 1936, Serial No. 68,823

Claims.

'I'he invention relates to a check separator for coin slides.

These slides are used in connection with various kinds of venders, games and other coin or 5 check released apparatus. Sometimes these slides are intended to pass` both coins, such Yas the standard i'lve cent piece, and checks, which latter are usually of a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the live cent piece. These coins and checks are passed by the slide into the cabinet containing the vender or the like', and if the coins or checks are authentic are eventually released by gravity to drop out of the slide structure to clear same. It is desirable not to commingle coins and checks as they are released and to that end the separator of the present invention is provided so that coins and checks may be segregated and caused to accumulate in separate storage containers. t

The main object of the invention is tovprovide an improved check separator for use with coin slides.

Another object is to provide such device in the nature of a simple inexpensive, and foolproof attachment for standard types of coin slides.

Still another object is yto provide such a separator which functions in its action according to the differing diameters of the coins and checks.

It is also an object to provide a simple ejector or alining device to prevent coins or checks from accidentally sticking in the separator.

Other important objects will become apparent to those skilled in this art as the disclosure is more fully made. l

Briefly, the separator is useful in connection with a coin slide of the type having a horizontal stationary guide frame in which is slidably mounted a slide having an opening to receive a coin or check. When the slide is pushed through the frame the coin or check is carried along over the lbottom of the frame until it reaches a coin or check drop opening formed in the frame, whereupon the coin or check falls through the frame to be freed from the slide. According to the teaching of the present invention the frame carries on its under side an inclined chute formed with an opening so that the coin of large diameter slides flat-.wise down the chute over` the opening to be directed to one point for accumulation. Checks.l

of smaller size will drop directly through the chute opening Without sliding down the chute and be accumulated at a different point. The slide carries an ejector or aliner member adapted as the slide is retracted to enter the chute opening and straighten out any coin or check that may accidentally have become cocked or stuck in the said opening.

Y In the present disclosure the slide structure shown is of a well known standard type such as that described and shown in the patent to 5 Tratsch 1,908,380 issued May 9, 1933. However, the present disclosure is materially simpliiled by leaving out such devices as a magnet and detents for preventing use of unauthorized coins or checks,

since such parts have nothing to do with the use l0 of the separator of this invention. While the subject matter of this invention is usable with4 coin slides of many different types, it is especially adapted for use with the type of slide shown in the patent mentioned. 15

In the accompanyingA sheet of drawings illustrating one desirable form which the invention may assume in practice:

Figure 1 is a general side elevational view of the coin slide including the separator and aliner 20 of this invention, with the slide shown mounted in a cabinet;

Figure 2 is a general bottom plan view of the structure shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional 25 view through the structure, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction ofthe arrows; and,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the slide structure taken along the line 4-4 of Fig- 30 ure 2, looking in the direction indicated.

The slide structure includes the usual horizontal main frame I0 formed with a Wall II to serve in mounting the frame in a stationary position within an opening I2 provided in the vertical wall 35 I3 of an appropriate cabinet for a vender or other coin or check released apparatus.

The frame generally shown at I0 presents a horizontal flatbottom I4 on which is carried for sliding movement a coin or check moving slide 40 l I5 having its front end bent at I6 to provide a handgrip portion. The front end of the slide is formed with a coin or check receiving opening I1 shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, which opening as in the Tratsch patent mentioned, is accessible 45 from the top side to receive a coin or check when the slide is in the retracted position of Figures 1- and 2.

A coin inserted in said opening lies on the floor provided by the top surface of the bottom I4 50 so that when the slide is pushed through the frame I0 and into the cabinet the coin or check is moved in the well known manner over saidbottom until at the end of the stroke of the slide, the coin or check reaches a drop opening I8 55 formed in the bottom I4. When the coin or check reaches said opening it drops therethrough, flat- Wise, by gravity to be discharged from the slide. When the coin or check reaches this point, of course, the coin released mechanism, whatever its form, will have been set or operated and the slide may be manually or otherwise retracted for another operation all of which is well understood in this art.

Of course. since all coins and checks so handled fall through the same drop opening I8 in the frame, there is no separation and they all commingle. It is desirable to separate the checks from the coins as they drop from the opening I8 and accordingly the structure of this invention is provided to accomplish the separation and to direct the separated coins and checks to different chutes for delivery to segregated points of accumulation. This novel structure will now be described.

Rearwardly of the opening I8 the underside of the frame IIl carries a forwardly and downwardly inclined chute member I9, the same being held in place by screws 20 entering the frame I0 and a spacer plate 2|. as shown in Figure 3. Said chute I9 is formed with an opening 22 of a size too small to permit a ve cent piece to drop therethrough, but of a size permitting a check smaller in diameter than the five cent coin to fall therethrough.

The lower end of the chute I9 at opposite sides of the opening 22 is formed with upwardly extending nibs 23 and a down-turned flange 24, as shown. The chute structure I9 serves to direct the larger coin to some suitable point within the cabinet as for example, by means cfa trough or the like illustrated generally at 25 in Figure l1. Checks dropping through the opening 22 of the separator chute I9 fall onto a trough or the like, generally indicated at 26, for delivery to another point spaced from and separate from the other trough 25, whereby segregation and separate accumulation of coins and checks occurs.

The rear end of the slide. by means of screws 21 carries a downwardly and forwardly extending allner and ejector bar 28 so arranged that when the slide I5 is retracted the forward end of the bar 28 enters and passes through the lower end of the opening 22 in the inclined separator chute I9. 'I'his completes the detail description of the parts and the manner of use and mode of operation will next be described.

A standard iive cent piece is placed in the open- 'ing I1 of the retracted slide I5. 'I'hen by means of the handle portion I 6/the user manually pushes the slide I5 with the coin inwardly through the stationary guide frame I to carry the coin over the tight bottom I4 until the coin reaches the opening I8 therein, whereupon said coin falls by gravity, iiatwise through the opening I8 and onto the separator chute I9.

Since the coin is larger in diameter than the diameter of the opening 22 therein, said coin cannot fall through the chute I 9 but slides theredown and off the lower end thereof over the nibs 23 and into the directing chute 25. If the nibs 23 temporarily hold the coin, or if a coin should temporarily lodge in a cocked position in the opening 22 then when the slide I is retracted the bar 28 comes into play to pass through the hole 22 and engage the lower edge ot the coin and cause its release positively to insure thereby its delivery into the trough 25.

If a check of smaller diameter than the coin is moved by the slide I5, said check drops through the opening I8 onto the chute I9 to fall through the opening 22 and into the trough 26, as will'be readily understood. The nibs 23 engage the lower edge of the small size checks and tilt same to cause perfect dropping thereof through the opening in the chute. i

Thus, by this simple means utilizing gravity discharge and relatively different diameters of the coins and checks, it is possible effectively to separate the coins and checks and segregate same as desired. 'I'he principle, of course, can be used for separating any different sizes of checks, coins, tokens, or the like.

Itis the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example herein chosen for purposes of illustration which do not in material respects constitute departures from the vspirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin slide having a stationary guide frame and a slide mounted therein for horizontal movement therethrough, said slide adapted to move disks of different diameter along the frame to a discharge opening formed in the frame for the disks to fall by gravity therethrough to leave the slide, the combination therewith of means carried in a fixed position relative to the frame to receive the discharging disks and eiiect separation thereof according to their respective diametric sizes, and means movable with the slide and cooperatingwith the aforementioned means to prevent disks from temporarily lodging in the said first means.

2. In a coin slide having a stationary guide frame and a slide mounted therein for horizontal movement therethrough from a forward to a rearward position, said slide adapted to move disks of different diameter along the frame to a discharge opening formed in the frame for the disks to fall by gravity therethrough to leave the slide, the combination therewith of an inclined chute carried in a stationary position below the frame, said chute including an opening smaller in diameter than one of the disks whereby large disks slide by gravity down the chute and small disks fall directly through the opening in the chute, and means carried by the slide and adapted to project into said chute opening when the slide is in its forward position.

3. In a coin slide having a stationary guide frame and a slide mounted therein for horizontal movement therethrough from a forward to a rearward position, said slide adapted to move disks of diierent diameter along the frame to a discharge opening formed in the frame for the disks to fall by gravity therethrough to leave the slide, the combination therewith of a chute member secured to the under side of the frame and inclined downwardly below the disk drop opening in the frame, said chute member being formed with an opening through which small diameter disks fall directly through the chute member for delivery at one point with large diameter disks sliding down the chute over the opening therein for delivery at another point, and a bar carried by the underside of the slide in spaced relationship thereto and adapted to pass into said opening when the slide is in its forward position.

4. In a coin slide having a, stationary guide frame and a slide mounted therein for horizontal movement therethrough, said slide adapted to move disks of different diameter along the frame to a discharge opening formed in the frame for the disks to fall by gravity therethrough to leave the slide, the combination therewith of an inclined chute carried below the frame and provided with an opening of a size to permit small diameter disks to fall directly through the chute and large diameter disks received by the chute to slide over the opening therein for delivery off the discharge end of the chute, and upwardly extending nibs formed at the lower edge of the opening in the chute.

5. In a coin slide having a stationary guide frame and a slide mounted therein for horizontal movement therethrough, said slide adapted to move disks of different diameter along the frame to a discharge opening formed in the frame for the disks to fall by gravity therethrough to leave the slide, the combination therewith of an inclined chute carried below the frame and provided with an opening of a size to permit small diameter disks to fall directly through the chute and large diameter disks received by the chute to slide over the opening therein for delivery oft the discharge end of the chute, and nibs provided at opposite side edges of the lower edge of the opening in the chute to be engaged by the small size disks to insure their proper discharge through said chute opening.

. FRANK G. NICOLAUS. 

